Weighing mechanism



Dec. 23, 1947. F. A. NICHOLS wmre'fi me MECHANISM Filed Oct. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I'REpEmnx A. ML'HuLs ATTORNEY Dec. 23, 1947. F. A. NICHOLS WEIGHING MECHAiIISM Filed Oct. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

23 32 55 FREDERICK A.N 1L7HuLs ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1947 UNITED OFFICE WEIGHING MEGHANISM Frederick A.- Nicho s i ied Conn assign to R Scale Ma urin Compan Inc, N w H@" 3. o oration qf'fi h eciiq i Application, ct0b h 9.4.6, Serial 193 439 (Cl. lin

on weigh g-m h t ined for o e coi "Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the ol ow ng deta l es pt on taken in con? hec io wit he acc mpa ng drawin s wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications astall withinthe spirit of the invention and the scope, of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the operating mecha, nism of the present device in el'evation'with the parts positioned as when a weight is on the scale platform but prior to he pos t ng or a coi a portion of the scale housing being shown in sec: tion; I Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewtaken 3 stantially along the plane of the line 2 :2 of Fig.- .1;

Fig. 3 is a view pa t y in top p an a pa t y in section of the weighing mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a detail elevational view showing the positions of the coin release parts after a coin has been deposited and a person is being weighed;

Fig. 5 is a front View of a ratchet wheelemp oyed;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of a dog or pawl employed and Fig. 7 is a plan view of a latch means employed.

Referring in detail to the drawing, at I0 is indi: cated a portion of a scale casing 'of any desired design as, for example, that shown in my Design .Bat ent 10.5, 132 of June 29, 1937. Supported and located within such casing is a horizontal stationbf ir H from which are suspended a pair of relatively heavy coil springs l2 secured at their lowerends to a movable cross ,bar 13. Connected centrally with the cross ar is a ste lyard 1.4 extending downwardly and connected with a suita e platfor mec anism (not shown as is usual in the art.

The steelyard 14 extends through thecrossbar 2 l3 and is f xed thereto as by nuts [5 threaded on the "steelyard and engaging the upper and lower surfaces of the cross bar. I his is a usual or con.- ventional structure. and any pull on the steelyard M results in elongation of the springs I2.

Th actual scale mechanism with Which the p e nt eeh ca i h i o c n is m un n h or frame s uc ur ih h ine a c sty de na ed 16 a a sec nd ho i g eneral y desi a ed llas ins it ud an in rme a e port on "5 e ten i g ene al scal ho sin and a t c isi ihc h his na ro eari ep ri q s i9 a 2B l e 9 therw se ecu e to the ca e hc sih Additiqha l here s a etachin p r io 2 of h castin and h n at en ng u ar nd i wei dl rom the main hh i h casting, 11 hw ly of th ear i n rm ca a headings o ti n .23.-

h lower n of Po i i hicken s a 24 (see F nd h s a ov 25 f d i its under e ge C st n I i som wh -s e and i c u es a e era y h z n a rm 6 d a generally vertical arm 21., This horizontal arm .25 a ton u 23 ente n the g o 2 a the; has orihore sc e s 29 a hr u h t oute hr ir eehd or n of the arm 26 an t e tongue 28 and into the thickened portion 24 of the cast n i n h s Wa he two c s in are ri ly ohh cte and i w l h ahrareh a if d th mountin stru t e rov d d b t ese castings may be an integral piece.

The ope tin a t of he w i n m an m mo nt d Q 1 the rame Prov d b the s hgs .ifi and L To th end a sh 3 s s pported at its inner or rear end on a cone screw assing throuehthe upper n rti n of c ing arm 31. The forward end of the shaft egitends int q the headrlike portion 2.3 of the casting I6 and therein suppo ted by a second cone scre ,3? threaded through the front wall of said headlike portion. Thus, it will be seen that shaft 39 is mounted securely yet is freely rotatable.

Mounted on the shaft 3.!) but free to turn thereon is a bobbin 33 against the rear side of which a series of screws 34 fasten the web portion through tor the accommodation of the shaft 30 so that the drum does not directly engage the shaft but is supported about the same by the bobbin 33. On the forward end of the bobbin 33 is secured a ratchet wheel 39. This ratchet wheel, in addition to its peripheral teeth 40, is provided with a pair of arcuate openings 4| and 42 arranged opposite one another and each struck on a radius having the center of the wheel for its center.

A hollow rivet 43 passes through the ratchet wheel 39 for a purpose to be described. The manher in which the ratchet wheel is fastened to the bobbin 33 is not of great importance and here it is shown as clamped in place by the spunover portion 44 of a reduced extension of the bobbin.

On the shaft 39 forwardly of the ratchet wheel 39 is a device or dog 45 including a hub portion 49 fastened to the shaft as by means of a pin 47 and also including a flange or disc portion 48 carrying a pair of rearwardly extending lugs 49 and 59 located in the arcuate slots 4| and 42 of the ratchet. Obviously the slots are of considerably greater length than the width of the lugs 49 and 56.

The head 23 on the arm 22 of the casting I6 is hollowed out from its rear side so that it contains a cavity or socket 5|, This socket receives a gear or pinion 52 fixed on the forward end portion of the shaft 39 as by a pin 53 passing through the shaft and a collar-like portion 54 integral with the gear. From the above description, it will be seen that the shaft 30 is mounted for rotation by the screws 3| and 32, that the bobbin 33 is not connected directly with the shaft and carries the drum 36 and the ratchet 39, that the do is fastened to the shaft and controls movement of the bobbin and associated parts relative to the shaft, and that the gear 52 located in the socket or recess 5| is fast to the shaft.

A slot 55 is milled or otherwise formed through the head 23 from one lateral side thereof and this slot enters the recess or cavity 5| in the head. Aligned With the head 23 and located below the same is a lug 56 which also has a slot 51 milled therethrough. These two slots receive and guide a rack bar 58, the teeth of which mesh with those of the gear 52.

When the rack is in place with its teeth meshed with said gear, plates 59 and 60 are secured over the slotted sides of head 23 and the lug 56 as by screws 6| and 62, respectively. Since the rack is meshing with the gear 52, it will be understood that the rack moves when the gear turns and is held against motion when the gear is stationary.

A stop device which limits downward movement of the rack and returns the rack to its normal position is shown at 63 and the same comprises a disc or plate-like body on its underside provided with a tapped protuberance 64 into which the upper end of the steelyard I4 is threaded. Casting l9 and particularly the part 2| thereof carries the lug 56 at the outer side of an enlargement 65 and above such enlargement 65 carries a lug 66.

Aligned openings 61 and 68 are provided in the lug 66 and the enlargement 65 and slidable in such openings is a Wire or rod 69 the lower end of which is bent to provide a toe portion 19 passing through an opening in a lug 1| integral with the upper side of the stop 63. Clearly, the position of the rod 69 is controlled by the position of the stop 63.

A lever 12 is pivoted at one end as at 13 to the casting l8 and connected with the free end of said lever as at 14 is a strong, flexible member 15 which extending upwardly is wound on the bobbin 33 and has its upper end passed through the hollow rivet 43 and anchored to the same as by a large knot at the other side of such rivet. The weighted lever 12 operating through the flexible member 15 is constantly attempting to rotate the bobbin 33 so as to keep the ends of the armate slots 4| and 42 of the ratchet against edges of the lugs 49 and 50 of the dog or pawl 45 and to thus impart a tendency to the turning of the shaft 39. Other means for the same purpose may be provided.

In this way, a slight but constant pressure is kept on the gear 52 and its relation with the teeth of the rack 58 so that any backlash between the gear and rack is always in the same direction. As will later be described, during the weighing operation, the bobbin 33 and associated parts rotate and at this time the arm 12 moves from the position of Fig. 1 and then as the weight is relieved and the parts moved back to normal positions the bobbin is caused to rotate and rewind a portion of the element 15 on the bobbin.

A U-shaped coin receiving device 16 is carried on the end of a wire or bar 11 at its inner end anchored to a lever 18. Lever 18 is pivotally mounted on the casting l6 as by a stud 19 passing through the lever 18 and a lug or projection on the forward face of the casting. The weight of the lever 18 relative to the pivot 19 is such as to tend to keep the coin receiver in the position of Fig. 1. However, as the description proceeds, it will become clear that this coin receiver only temporarily receives the coin and that the received coin serves to overbalance the mechanism including the lever 18 and then the coin falls out of the receiver 16. Pad 8| formed on the arm 22 of casting I6 is provided with tapped openings 82 for the reception of screws (not shown) to be used in the mounting of a coin chute (not shown). At its inner end the stud 19 has an eccentric opening 83 receiving the stem of a screw 84 passing through an intermediate portion of a pawl, generally designated 85. The screw 94 pivotally mounts the pawl 85 at the inner end of the stud 19. A set screw 86 passes through the lug or protuberance 80 and is adapted when tightened to lock the stud 19 in position.

Pawl 85 includes a bent portion or tooth 81 located to engage with the teeth 40 of the ratchet 39 and further includes a bent end portion 88 located in the path of a lug 89 on the rear side of a portion of the lever 18. A clip 90, fastened to the casting part l8, anchors one end of a coil spring 9|, the other end of which is connected with a trip or latch device 92. Device 92 is in the form of a short strip of metal having an opening 93 therethrough of a diameter to permit the rod 69 to move therethrough. This device 92 extends between the lugs 65 and 66 of the casting as in Fig, 2 and has the rod 69 passing through its opening 93.

A pivot 94 mounts a bell crank lever 95 on the casting l6. Bell crank 95 includes a short arm or toe portion 96 with a longer arm 91 in its upper portion provided with a slot including a relatively narrow vertical portion 98 and a Wider or enlarged horizontal portion 99. A pin I on the lever 18 is located in this slot and is adapted to occupy different portions therein as will now be set forth in the description of the operation of the mechanism. 3

When the parts are as in Fig. 1, a person wishing to be weighed is standing on the scale platform. (not shown) but has not deposited a penny or other coin which is delivered to the receptacle 16. In this figure the springs !2 are somewhat elongated, the stop E3 is down as is the rod 69, but the rack 53 is not against the stop being held by the gear 52. In turn the gear is held by the shaft 30 which is locked by the pawl 85 acting through the ratchet wheel 35 and the dog 45. Immediately the weight was placed on the platform, the steelyard it was drawn down and drew down the cross bar i3, extending the springs l2, and drawing down the rod as. However, at that time, no other part of the mechanism moves.

When the chin is deposited, as it is received in receptacle [3, it helps overbalance the lever it so that the latter rocks on its pivot l3 and causes counterclockwise movement of the pawl 85. Thus, the lug or tooth 8? of the pawl is freed from the teeth of the ratchet 39. Now, as the ratchet is free to move, the shaft 33 and all parts thereon are free to rotate and rotary movement is imparted to these parts by the weighted lever 12 and the weight of the rack bar 58. As the shaft 3!] and the gear 52 rotate the rack bar moves downwardly until it is lower and rests on the upper side of the stop disc 33. When tins occurs, further rotation of the gear 52 and thus of the shaft 30 is prevented However, because the only connection between the drum 36 and the shaft is through the lugs 49 and 50 and the slots iii and 5.2 of the ratchet, the drum may bounce back and forth in a short are until it comes to rest. The jarring caused by this movement will insure all parts of the mechanism operating in the event they are inclined to stick in position.

Because of the slight pull exerted by the element I5 and the weighted lever E2, the drum will come to a position of rest at the extreme point to which it would be permitted to rotate due to the presence of the lugs 49 and 5B, in the slots [H and 42. The manner in which the periphery of the drum is exposed so as to be read to give the weight is not of importance in the present instance and may be any conventional structure desired.

When the lever '58 and associated parts are tilted, the pin Kit is carried into the wide slot portion 99 of bell crank 95, which slot portion is substantially horizontal. This is made possible, both due to the tilting of the lever l8 and the rocking of the bell crank 95 on its pivot in a counterclockwise direction. Now, as the coin drops from receptacle it, the lug 89 on the lever I8 is in the path of return movement of the tooth 88 of the pawl 85. Further, lever 18 is held against return movement by the position of the pin I39 in the L-shaped slot of the bell crank.

The described rocking movement brings the toe portion 96 of the bell crank onto the free end portion of the lock plate or safety device 92. Now, when the user steps oil the scale platform, springs l2 act to raise the bar l3 and this shifts the plate 63 upwardly moving the rack 58 upwardly. As the rack moves upwardly it rotates the shaft 39 through the gear 52 winding the element 15 onto the bobbin 33 and raising the weighted lever 72.

At this time, the drum 3% is being returned to zero position. It will be understood that the coin has fallen from the receptacle F3 and that the lever l8 and associated parts including the pawl 85 are attempting to return to their normal positions. However, with the pin tilt in the horizontal portion 99 of the slot, this action is pre- 6 vented .until there is a slight upward movement ofthe stop disc 63.

As this disc moves upwardly, the rod. 69 is moved upwardly and the. plate 92 being slightly biased with respect to such rod by the spring 9!, the rod has a tendency to bind in the opening 33 in the plate and raise the latter. O-n downward movement of rod 69, the plate t3 may flatten against the lug 65 to have the opening 93 normal to the rod. However, on upward movement of the rod there is nothing to maintain such normal relation and the plate is til-ted as suggested by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

As the plate moves upwardly it engages the toe portion 96 of the bellcrank 95 and rocks the latter on the pivot at so that the pin I00 may move into the narrower but vertical portion 98 of the slot as the lever l8 and associated parts rock or gravitate in a clockwise direction. As such rocking movement of lever is occurs, the lug 89 moves downwardly permitting the lever to rock in a clockwise direction and the tooth engaging portion 81 of the pawl comes against the ratchet 38. However, the ratchet teeth may move in a counterclockwise direction over the tooth 81 until the drum has returned to zero position and then a tooth of the ratchet has a straight side against the pawl tooth 81 and the drum is held against clockwise movement.

The action of the lock plate 92 is of importance as insuring that but one weight will be given for one coin. Assuming that a party has been weighed, and a second party attempts to get weighed for the same coin. As any jostling or change of weight occurs, as one party moves off the scale platform and the other party moves thereon, any slight upward movement of the disc 63 will impart a similar movement to the rod 69 so that the latch device 92'will be moved upwardly to rock the bell crank from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 1. This instantly releases lever 18 and pawl 85. They return to their normal positions with the pawl 85 looking the ratchet 39 and thus the drum 36 against any but return movement or movement toward zero reading of the drum.

The eccentric location of the screw 83 in the stud 19 is of importance. When the mechanism is set up it may be discovered that owing to some slight inaccuracy engagement of the tooth 81 of pawl 85 with a tooth of the ratchet 39 does not have the drum set quite in position with its zero mark opposite the pointer. At such time, adjustment is easily made by loosening the set screw 83 and then turning of the stud 19. As the stud is turned the location of the screw 83 is shifted to move the pawl 85 slightly to the right or to the left as may be desired.

The pawl is adjusted until a tooth of the ratchet 39 is against the tooth of the pawl and the zero mark on the drum is opposite the pointer. Since the screw 83 is eccentric with respect to the stud 19, it will be understood that by turning the latter, screw 18 may be shifted to either side of the center of the stud. Thus, for the purpose of the present adjustment, the eccentric structure disclosed provides for a very substantial adjustment. After the proper adjustment is made, set screw 86 is tightened.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a weighing scale including a rotatable graduated member and a ratchet rotatable with said member, means tending to rotate said member in one direction and a pawl cooperating with said ratchet for securing the member against such rotation and with its zero marking opposite a pointer, adjustable means mounting said pawl for changing the position thereof to permit of slight rotation of the ratchet and member to bring the zero marking of the latter opposite a pointer, and means to thereafter secure the pawl in its adjusted position.

2. In a weighing scale including a rotatable graduated member and a ratchet rotatable with said member, means tending to rotate saidmemher in one direction and a pawl cooperating with said ratchet for securing the member against such rotation and with its zero marking opposite a pointer, a rotatable means, means mounting said pawl on said rotatable means in eccentric relation to the latter whereby on turning of the latter the position of the pawl relative to the ratchet is adjusted so as to permit of the member moving to a position with its zero marking in line with a pointer, and means to lock said rotatable means in adjusted position.

3. In a weighing mechanism including a graduated member, means rotatably mounting said member, a pawl and ratchet mechanism normally maintaining said member in zero position, a coin releasable means for shifting the pawl away from the ratchet to permit of rotation of the member, a stop device movable in one direction in accordance with a weight on the scale, spring means for returning said stop device to normal position on the removal of the Weight from the scale, a rod movable in accordance with movements of said stop device, a plate through which said rod is freely movable in one direction, means for latching said pawl in said released position, said plate adapted on movement in one direction to shift said latch means to permit of the pawl moving back into locking engagement with the ratchet, and said plate movable to trip said latch device on initial return movement of said rod under the influence of said spring means.

4. In a weighing mechanism including a graduated member, means rotatably mounting said member, a pawl and ratchet mechanism normally maintaining said member in zero position, a coin releasable means for shifting the pawl away from the ratchet to permit of rotation of the member, a stop device movable in one direction in accordance with a weight on the scale, spring means for returning said stop device to normal position on the removal of the weight from the scale, a rod movable in accordance with movements of said stop device, a plate through which said rod is freely movable in one direction, means for latching said pawl in said released position and comprising a pivoted lever having a generally L-shaped slot therein and a pin on said coin releasable means and located in said slot, said plate adapted on movement in one direction to shift said lever to permit of vertical movement of said coin releasable means and said pawl to bring the latter into locking engagement with the ratchet, and said plate movable to shift said lever on initial return movement of said rod under the influence of said spring means.

FREDERICK A. NICHOLS. 

